The Shades of Change
by ink.returns
Summary: Harry Potter is an auror investigating murders of wizards marked with the Malfoy Crest. Is Draco Malfoy committing these murders and what does it have to do with the deaths and insanity of the late Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy? Review! D/H, not epilogue compliant.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Thank you for taking a look at this fanfiction and I hope you continue to stay with me, because I vow to continue to write for you. 

Summary: Harry Potter is an auror investigating murders of wizards marked with the Malfoy Crest. Is Draco Malfoy committing these murders and what does it have to do with the deaths and insanity of the late Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy? Not epilogue compliant. Rated M for future chapters, D/H.

REPOSTED!

**Chapter 1:**

It was rather cold outside with ceaseless snow and icicles hanging from the top of every window. Harry sat at his own window taking a break from the cases that piled one after another. He held his pocket watch close to his face and hastily planted it into his pocket, realizing that he was late for work. Stepping out of the foyer, he grabbed his coat and opened the door. A gust of wind filled with snow shocked him and he brushed the liquefied snowflakes off of his face. As he walked, his shoes beat softly upon the snow and soon Harry found himself approaching the Ministry entrance. He walked up a series of stairs and abrupt turns to his office where he found himself face to face with a most menacing character, a pregnant Hermione.

"Do you know how late you are? I was starting to worry," Hermione said with a dark look in her eye. 

"Well, isn't that a surprise?" Harry mumbled, careful not to look into her eyes as he dropped his hands into his pockets. This was definitely not the time to make Hermione angry, he had mistakenly crossed that line before.

"What was that, Harry?" Hermione scowled with her hands over her chest. Suddenly, she took a step toward Harry and she patted his ebony mane and smiled, "Just don't do it again." She hovered over his desk and dropped a manila file holding yet another case. She whispered that she was sorry and left to her other duties.

Seven years, it had been, since Harry had defeated Voldemort. The details of the duel he would rather forget clouded his mind similar to a bad nightmare. It was unlikely that he'd ever want to go back to that life, one where he knew that the fate of the wizarding world was in his hands. Though nostalgic about his life at Hogwarts, Harry knew that this was the life that he had now and he meant to keep it that way.

He picked up the file that Hermione just dropped on his desk and perused through it. It seemed that the Malfoy family had quite a bit of trouble these days. Their family had been excused from the trials that awaited most death eaters since Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy had gone insane from the cruciatus curse. Draco, however, had hidden himself away from the world for the first three years of his parents' insanity. He later began resuming his old routine, hosting parties on occasion and maintaining his image of Lord of the Malfoy estate. Harry hadn't seen his old rival since the pardon to his trial and did not think that he 

would ever see him again. After all, what were you supposed to say to one who despised you since first year and continued to harass you years after? 

Harry read the case again and saw that Malfoy senior and his lady had been very violent in days passed, especially towards their son. Early this month they had slipped into a coma and Draco hadn't come to visit them, despite all the requests that he do to better his parent's condition. A funeral was held after they had passed away a couple of weeks ago. The Malfoy family was linked to a string of murders that have been uncovered in the Wizard World. Their crest was found emblazed in the chests of each of the victims. 

Their deaths weren't violent in any way it seemed, because the emblem was marked after each death was committed. Seven murders in the course of a month, each victim died the same way. The victims were all given a poison, known to kill efficiently, quickly, and without pain. They all were found in a dark alleyway and when testing their blood, high levels of alcohol were found, but these people weren't known for drinking at those levels. The pubs didn't spot any of the victims, so it was most likely that each victim was brought to a secluded home. Harry thought it quite simple figuring out who had done these crimes. Harry had no doubt that the murderer fit the persona of Draco Malfoy. 

'But what was the motive?' Harry thought. Draco did seem to be the death eater's son that he was labeled as being. However, Harry didn't know if he'd changed, or if he was still the foul git from their days at school. 

Harry was about to take leave when Seamus stepped in. His eyes were lined with tears and he held the doorway like it was the only thing holding him up. Harry took his friend and situated him to a seat on an elaborate wooden chair. "What's worrying you mate?" Harry inquired perching himself on his knees, keeping eye level with Seamus. Seamus put his head in his hands and sobbed, "He's dead Harry. HE'S DEAD!" Harry stood up and whispered, "He's dead? Dean's dead?" Seamus wailed out at that moment, crying to the heavens as he fell to his knees off of the chair. 


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Here's the second chapter and please review. I know that it isn't the best work you've seen, but if you could review and tell me what's wrong with it and what's right with it, eternal gratitude is in order. Plus, I have a supply of invisible ponies just waiting for a rider. 

**Thank you** DanuMarie **for replying and giving some constructive criticism!**

**Chapter 2:**

Harry put a hand to his mouth and gazed into space, taken aback by the news. 

"Where is he?" Harry questioned Seamus as he was regaining his composure. 

Seamus put both hands on his knees and replied, "They've taken him. They won't let me anywhere near him! Those half-arse aurors aren't letting me near him. Harry, that's why I came to you, can you do something about this? His body is at the alley two houses away from our flat." Harry took a step back and took a good look at Seamus. His eyes were blood shot and he had scratches on his arms and face, doubtlessly from a scuffle with the aurors. Harry nodded, abruptly, and sent Seamus off with Hermione.

He took out his wand and held it close to his side as he approached the scene. A cluster of aurors surrounded the body, talking quietly. Harry coughed and all of them immediately looked up. A familiar face, known by the name Georg Fether, came up to him with his hands shoved in his pockets. 

"Hello Mr. Potter. What might you be doing here?" he questioned with a bored expression on his face. 

Harry sneered, "You know very well why I'm here, Fether. Now move aside and let me take a look." 

Fether stood his ground and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, "You know we can't do that. This is our case. I assume you have your own to tend to?" 

Harry shoved him aside, his eyes relaying the anger kept in, and proceeded to push away the others around Dean's body. The sight upset him, Dean's lip was bloodied and a mark was carved into his chest. It was one that Harry had been studying this very morning. It was the Malfoy Crest, and it seemed to be hastily carved into Dean's chest. Harry covered his eyes with his forearm for a second and went back to looking at the soulless body of his close friend. Harry saw a bruise on Dean's neck, a love bite was more like it. Harry paused to remember that all the victims were men. All, except one, and that was the body of Paboria Finney. He realized that that this wasn't just a normal murder case, it was a trap for young lovers. Soon idea after idea piled up in his mind and Harry couldn't hold in the power surge that resulted from his anger. His eyes reached told the others to back away and soon Harry was out of the alley fairly quickly.

He was out for blood, and not just anyone's blood, but that of Draco Malfoy. He didn't know what was going on in Draco's sick mind, but he promised that he would not let it go any further. Harry apparated to the outskirts of Malfoy Manor and he was greeted by a charmed box that spoke Malfoy's voice.

"What do you want, Potter," Malfoy spat from the box at the gates of Malfoy Manor. 

"I need to talk to you, Malfoy." Harry replied with a weakening patience. 

"If you haven't realized yet, Potty, you are talking to me. Now what do you have to say? I must say it has been a while and I'm not so good with the pleasant chat, especially with you. So let you not waste any more of my life and go on with this nonsense." Malfoy retorted with a smirk emerging as he spoke.

"Stop being such a prat and let me in. I'm not here to stand outside your gate and make conversation. The murders, I need to talk to you about the damn murders." Harry replied angrily.

The gates and wards let him in and Harry stepped in carefully, observing his surroundings for traps. 

"There aren't any curses waiting to fly at you, get a bloody move on." Draco sounded from the box behind Harry.

He walked faster now, past the albino peacocks to the door of the mansion, where Malfoy leaned coolly on the wall. Harry looked around as he stepped in and readied his wand, pointing it at Draco's throat. 

"Explain these murders, Malfoy," he hissed shoving the wand deeper into his throat. 

Malfoy snickered, "What're you getting so worked up about, Potter? Do you honestly think that I've done this?" 

Harry harshly yelled enunciating every syllable, "Who else would've done it Malfoy? There was a Malfoy Crest on each one of those people. Each of those eight had a Malfoy Crest carved into their chest. Who else would have done it? WHO ELSE?" Draco winced as Harry's anger poured into the room and he was shoved against the wall to the point where it was hard to breathe. 

Draco let out a morbid laugh and responded, "Potter, you haven't got your wits about you. Anybody could've put that crest on those people. If you haven't noticed, I've been brooding around here since Father and Mother went insane." Harry took this in and realized that Malfoy was right. The crest could've been implanted by anyone. He hadn't even rationalized this before he came. 

"No one was observing you, so you could have stepped out during anytime. It could've been your father's last wish for you to kill them; perhaps you had something against them." Harry said, slowly creating a rationale to his accusation. 

"You twit, my father's last wish? He died while his mind wasn't exactly in the best of conditions and you think that he ordered me to do this? Oh yes, he'd told me to murder all these people and leave my mark on them. Now will you please get the hell off of me?" Draco scoffed as he was released of his attacker's hold.

Harry stepped back and took his leave from the manor. But not before saying, "I'll be watching you, Malfoy. "

"I'm sure you will be, Potter. I'm sure you will be." Draco smirked and closed the door. 

Harry looked back and brushed himself off. Harry had a bit of his dignity ripped from him, but he knew that Malfoy had to be the one committing the murders, and he wouldn't stop until he had some evidence. He promised himself that no one would die while he was on this case, absolutely no one.


End file.
